Career and Education Opportunities for Transportation Managers in Austin, Texas

If you want to be a transportation manager, the Austin, Texas area offers many opportunities both for education and employment. About 8,890 people are currently employed as transportation managers in Texas. By 2016, this is expected to grow 18% to 10,480 people employed. This is better than the national trend for transportation managers, which sees this job pool shrinking by about 5.3% over the next eight years. In general, transportation managers plan, direct, and coordinate the transportation operations within an organization or the activities of organizations that provide transportation services.

Transportation managers earn about $37 hourly or $78,140 annually on average in Texas and about $37 per hour or $79,000 yearly on average nationally. Transportation managers earn less than people working in the category of Transportation and Logistics generally in Texas and less than people in the Transportation and Logistics category nationally. Transportation managers work in a variety of jobs, including: airline managerial supervisor, traffic superintendent, and trainmaster.

There are thirty-five schools of higher education in the Austin area, including eight within twenty-five miles of Austin where you can get a degree to start your career as a transportation manager. Transportation managers usually hold a Bachelor's degree, so you can expect to spend about four years studying to be a transportation manager if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Transportation Manager

Transportation Manager video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, transportation managers plan, direct, and coordinate the transportation operations within an organization or the activities of organizations that provide transportation services.

Transportation managers analyze expenditures and other financial data to evolve plans and budgets for increasing profits and improving services. They also monitor spending to insure that expenses are consistent with approved budgets. Equally important, transportation managers have to collaborate with other managers and staff members to formulate and implement policies, procedures and objectives. They are often called upon to implement schedule and policy changes. They are expected to formulate, organize and oversee the work of subordinate staff to insure that the work is accomplished in a manner consistent with organizational requirements. Finally, transportation managers serve as contact persons for all staff within assigned territories.

Every day, transportation managers are expected to be able to read and understand documents and reports. They need to listen to and understand others in meetings. It is also important that they articulate ideas and problems.

It is important for transportation managers to promote safe work efforts by conducting safety audits, attending company safety meetings, and meeting with individual staff members. They are often called upon to conduct employee training sessions on subjects such as hazardous material handling, employee orientation, quality improvement and computer use. They also conduct investigations in cooperation with government agencies to establish causes of transportation accidents and to further optimize safety procedures. They are sometimes expected to design criteria and contracts for federal and state public transportation programs. Somewhat less frequently, transportation managers are also expected to participate in union contract negotiations and settlements of grievances.

They also have to be able to direct efforts of staff performing repairs and maintenance to equipment and facilities and set operations policies and standards, including determination of safety processes for the handling of dangerous goods. And finally, they sometimes have to supervise staff assigning tariff classifications and preparing billing.

Like many other jobs, transportation managers must have exceptional integrity and be reliable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Austin include:

Postmaster. Direct and coordinate operational, administrative, and supportive services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.

Shipping Receiving Manager. Plan, direct, and coordinate the storage and distribution operations within an organization or the activities of organizations that are engaged in storing and distributing materials and products.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Transportation Manager Training

National American University-Austin - Austin, TX

National American University-Austin, 13801 North Mo Pac Expressway Suite 300, Austin, TX 78727. National American University-Austin is a small university located in Austin, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 56 students. National American University-Austin has an associate's degree and a bachelor's degree program in Business Administration and Management.

Concordia University Texas - Austin, TX

Concordia University Texas, 11400 Concordia University Dr., Austin, TX 78726. Concordia University Texas is a small university located in Austin, Texas. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 2,147 students and an admission rate of 66%. Concordia University Texas has a bachelor's degree program in Business Administration and Management which graduated thirteen students in 2008.

Saint Edward's University - Austin, TX

Saint Edward's University, 3001 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704. Saint Edward's University is a medium sized university located in Austin, Texas. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 5,348 students and an admission rate of 64%. Saint Edward's University has 2 areas of study related to Transportation Manager. They are:

Public Administration, bachelor's degree which graduated 1 student in 2008.

Business Administration and Management, bachelor's degree, postbaccalaureate certificate, and master's degree which graduated ten, one, and 159 students respectively in 2008.

Huston-Tillotson University - Austin, TX

Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702-2795. Huston-Tillotson University is a small university located in Austin, Texas. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 785 students and an admission rate of 56%. Huston-Tillotson University has a bachelor's degree program in Business Administration and Management.

The University of Texas at Austin - Austin, TX

The University of Texas at Austin, , Austin, TX 78712. The University of Texas at Austin is a large university located in Austin, Texas. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 49,984 students and an admission rate of 44%. The University of Texas at Austin has 2 areas of study related to Transportation Manager. They are:

Business Administration and Management, bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctor's degree which graduated forty-one, 607, and two students respectively in 2008.

Logistics and Materials Management, bachelor's degree which graduated 12 students in 2008.

Texas State University-San Marcos - San Marcos, TX

Texas State University-San Marcos, 601 University Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666. Texas State University-San Marcos is a large university located in San Marcos, Texas. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 29,125 students and an admission rate of 74%. Texas State University-San Marcos has 2 areas of study related to Transportation Manager. They are:

Public Administration, bachelor's degree and master's degree which graduated forty-eight and twenty-four students respectively in 2008.

Business Administration and Management, one to two year, bachelor's degree, and master's degree which graduated seven, three, and ninety-three students respectively in 2008.

Austin Community College District - Austin, TX

Austin Community College District, 5930 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752. Austin Community College District is a large college located in Austin, Texas. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 35,798 students. Austin Community College District has a one to two year and an associate's degree program in Business Administration and Management which graduated thirty-two and seventeen students respectively in 2008.

University of Phoenix-Austin Campus - Austin, TX

University of Phoenix-Austin Campus, 10801-2 N. MoPac Suite 300, Austin, TX 78759-5459. University of Phoenix-Austin Campus is a small university located in Austin, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 331 students. University of Phoenix-Austin Campus has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree program in Business Administration and Management which graduated twenty-two and thirty students respectively in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence:
The Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence is a professional who leads and champions process-improvement initiatives everywhere from small businesses to multinational corporations that can have regional or global focus in a variety of service and industrial settings.

Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management :
Due to an overwhelming request for an entry level industry certification, the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (AST&L) now offers the Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (PLS) to professionals seeking an understanding of the key strategies for improving customer service and increasing the efficiency of their logistics and supply chain operations.

Certified Parking Facility Manager:
NPA's Certified Parking Professional (CPP) Program is a comprehensive curriculum designed to assist managers in performing their duties in an effective and professional manner.

Certified Transportation Professional:
By earning the Certified Transportation Professional (CTP) designation, you join a group of transportation professionals who have made a commitment to the private fleet industry, to an ongoing pursuit of career advancement, and to continuing enhancement of their knowledge and skills.

Program Management Professional:
Project Management Institute's newest credential is specifically developed to acknowledge the qualifications of the professional who leads the coordinated management of multiple projects and ensures the ultimate success of a program.

Traffic Operations Practitioner Specialist:
The Traffic Operations Practitioner Specialist (TOPS) certification program is designed as a broad assessment of knowledge in traffic operations at the practitioner level.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas photo by Wikidiculous

Austin is located in Travis County, Texas. It has a population of over 757,688, which has grown by 15.4% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Austin, 88, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Austin are valued at $139,500 on average, which is well below the state average. In 2008, 1,928 new homes were constructed in Austin, down from 3,155 the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Austin are educational services, health care, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is construction, professional, scientific, and technical services, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 22 minutes. More than 40.4% of Austin residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 14.7%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Austin is 6.5%, which is less than Texas's average of 8.1%.

The percentage of Austin residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 46.2%, is less than both the national and state average. Pilgrim Rest Primitive Baptist Church, Adam and Eve Garden Baptist Church and Pleasant Hill Baptist Church are all churches located in Austin. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church.

Austin is home to the Morris Williams Golf Course and the Sixth Street Historic District as well as Wild Basin Wilderness Park and Rudolph Gamblin Field. Shopping centers in the area include Capital Plaza Shopping Center, Capital Plaza Shopping Center and Lamar Plaza Shopping Center. Visitors to Austin can choose from Club Hotel by Doubletree Austin University Area, Austin Folk House and AmeriPark at Austin for temporary stays in the area.